How to use the command 'git credential' (with examples)
The ‘git credential’ command is used to retrieve and store user credentials. It interacts with the credential helpers configured for Git, which are responsible for managing authentication credentials for various protocols, such as HTTP and SSH.
Use case 1: Displaying credential information
Code:
echo "url=http://example.com" | git credential fill
Motivation: Sometimes, you may need to retrieve the username and password stored in the configuration files for a specific URL. This command can help you easily fetch the credentials associated with a given URL.
Explanation:
echo "url=http://example.com": This command will output the URL for which you want to retrieve the credentials.|: The pipe symbol is used to pass the output of the previous command as input to the next command.git credential fill: This command informs Git to retrieve the username and password from the configured credential helpers based on the provided URL.
Example output:
username=johndoe
password=********
Use case 2: Sending credential information for storage
Code:
echo "url=http://example.com" | git credential approve
Motivation: When you authenticate with a remote repository, Git often prompts you to provide your credentials. By sending the credential information to the configured credential helpers, you can avoid repetitive authentication requests in the future.
Explanation:
echo "url=http://example.com": This command outputs the URL to which you want to send the credentials.|: The pipe symbol passes the output of the previous command to the next command.git credential approve: This command instructs Git to send the credential information to all the configured credential helpers for storage.
Example output: No output is produced when the command is successful.
Use case 3: Erasing credential information
Code:
echo "url=http://example.com" | git credential reject
Motivation: In some cases, you may want to delete the stored credentials for a specific URL. By using this command, you can remove the credential information from all the configured credential helpers.
Explanation:
echo "url=http://example.com": This command outputs the URL for which you want to erase the credentials.|: The pipe symbol passes the output of the previous command to the next command.git credential reject: This command tells Git to remove the specified credential information from the configured credential helpers.
Example output: No output is produced when the command is successful.
Conclusion:
The ‘git credential’ command provides a convenient way to manage and interact with authentication credentials in Git. Whether you need to retrieve, store, or erase the credentials associated with a specific URL, this command simplifies the process. By utilizing the various use cases described above, you can effectively manage your credentials and streamline your Git workflow.
